1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for electrically connecting an electronic package such as a land grid array (LGA) chip with a circuit board such as a printed circuit board (PCB), and particularly to an LGA electrical connector with a stiffener and a housing.
2. Description of Prior Art
Land grid array (LGA) electrical connectors are widely used in personal computer (PC) systems to electrically connect land grid array (LGA) chips with printed circuit boards (PCBs). An LGA electrical connector comprises an insulative housing, a multiplicity of terminals received in the housing in a rectangular array, a metal load plate pivotally mounted to the housing, and a load lever attached to the housing. This kind of LGA electrical connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,105. In use, the load plate exerts great force on the housing. However, the housing is made from insulative material, and is prone to deformation and damage.
The co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/418434 shows another kind of LGA electrical connector. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the LGA electrical connector 7 comprises an insulative rectangular housing 71, a multiplicity of conductive terminals 75 received in the housing 71, a stiffener 72 mounted on the housing 71, a metal load plate 74 mounted to the housing 71, and a load lever 73 attached to the housing 71. The load plate 74 comprises a pair of curved pivot latches 742 extending from a rear end thereof, and a hook portion 741 extending from an opposite front end thereof. The load lever 73 comprises a handle 734, an operational arm 733 extending perpendicularly from one end of the handle 734, a pair of pivot axles 731 extending perpendicularly from a distal end of the operational arm 733, and an offset pressing portion 732 between the two pivot axles 731. The stiffener 72 stamped from a sheet of metallic material and comprises a planar portion 721 defining an opening 722 in a middle thereof, and two opposite elongated plates 723 depending from outer side edges of the planar portion 721. A pair of spaced latch slots 724 is defined on each elongated plate 123. A pair of locating latches 725 extends downwardly from inner side edges of the planar portion 721.
The housing 71 comprises a rectangular main body 711 in a middle thereof, and two opposite sidewalls 712. The main body 711 defines a plurality of passageways 718 for receiving the corresponding terminals 75. The housing 71 defines a pair of spaced pivot holes 713 in a rear end thereof for engaging with the pivot latches 742 of the load plate 74 to pivotally mount the load plate 74 to the housing 71. The housing 71 defines a generally trapezoidal receiving recess 714 and an elongated receiving groove 715, in an opposite front end thereof. A pair of latch portions 716 protrudes outwardly from each sidewall 712, corresponding to the latch slots 724 of the stiffener 72. A pair of locating holes 717 is defined on inner sides of the opposite sidewalls 712, corresponding to the locating latches 725 of the stiffener 72.
Referring to FIG. 7, in assembly, the latch slots 724 of the stiffener 72 engage respectively with the latch portions 716 of the housing 71, and the locating latches 725 of the stiffener 72 respectively plug into the locating holes 717 of the housing 71. Thus, the stiffener 72 is mounted on the housing 71. The pivot latches 742 of the load plate 74 are received in the corresponding pivot holes 713 of the housing 71, and accordingly the load plate 74 is pivotally mounted to the housing 71. The pivot axles 731 of the lever 13 are received in the groove 715, and the pressing portion 732 is movably retained in the T-shaped recess 714.
However, the latch portions 716 of the housing 71 are made from insulative material, which has limited flexibility. In addition, there are no complementary structures to enhance what flexibility there is of the latch portions 716. Accordingly, assembly of the stiffener 72 to the housing 71 is unduly difficult. In addition, because the stiffener 72 is made of metallic material, it has high strength compared with the housing 71. Thus, in assembly, the housing 71 is liable to distort and be damaged.
A new electrical connector that overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a housing with resilient arms that facilitate ready engagement of a stiffener onto the housing.
In order to achieve the above object, an electrical connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of terminals received in the housing, a stiffener mounted on the housing, a metal load plate, and a load lever. The housing comprises two opposite sidewalls, a first end portion and a second end portion. The load plate is pivotally attached to the second end portion of the housing, and the load lever is mounted to the first end portion of the housing. Each of the sidewalls comprises a pair of spaced latch portions, and defines a pair of channels in a bottom thereof at respective latch portions thereby forming two resilient arms. The stiffener comprises two elongated first plates having two latch slots for engaging with the corresponding latch portions of the housing. Thus, flexibility of the latch portions of the housing is enhanced thereby facilitating easy attachment of the stiffener onto the housing.